TRUTH IN FOCUS | PUBLIC RECORDS | October 10, 2026
By Steven Bullcoming Haworth
NORTHERN CHEYENNE RESERVATION, Montana — Three personnel documents identifying Northern Cheyenne Vice President Ernest Littlemouth Sr. contain apparent date inconsistencies that call for clarification from the responsible tribal offices. Truth in Focus reviewed photographs of an activity report and two personal-leave forms, not authenticated original payroll files. The documents are a basis for questions, not proof of fraud, an improper payment or an invalid Tribal Council meeting. [1–3]
What the documents say
The Northern Cheyenne Tribe Federal Personnel FY 2025–2026 Activity Report for pay period 20 lists dates September 7–19, 2026 and totals 80 hours, evenly divided between columns labeled general fund and federal fund. The printed summary reports regular hours zero, paid time off 54, holiday 16 and administrative leave 10. The signature area appears to carry the words “for ELM,” with September 16 shown for both the employee and approval dates, although the form includes entries for September 18 and September 19. An advance-processing procedure or later adjustment could explain the timing; the photographed document alone cannot establish which. [1]
Two Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council personal-leave request forms identify Littlemouth as Vice President and both appear to carry a “today’s date” of November 16, 2026. One lists September 8–11 for requested leave. The other lists November 16–18 and labels the days Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. November 16–18, 2026, actually fall Monday through Wednesday, whereas those weekday labels fit September 16–18. These could be transcription or form-preparation errors. We have not received an authenticated original, a correction or an explanation from the responsible office. [2–3]
Leave and Council authority are different questions
Personnel leave and constitutional authority should not be conflated. Under the amended Northern Cheyenne Bylaws, Article I, Section 2, the Vice President has a stated role presiding when the President does not preside; exercising presidential powers is a separate issue. Article V establishes meeting procedures, including quorum and the calling of sessions. Whether Littlemouth was authorized to preside at a particular meeting depends on the actual meeting date, the governing rules and any applicable orders. The supplied September records do not independently establish that he was on leave during the September 30 hearing or later meetings. [4]
Truth in Focus has requested the original records, any amendments, the identity and authority of persons who signed on behalf of the employee, the applicable approval procedures, and Council notices, attendance and minutes for meetings said to raise overlapping leave questions. It has also asked for comment from the Tribal Council and the Secretary. [5]
Why the original records matter
A fair assessment requires more than identifying inconsistent dates: it requires the complete payroll and attendance record, the leave policy, the original signatures, the meeting record and an opportunity for the officials involved to explain. At the October 10 morning inbox check, the newsroom had located no response to its latest request. That is not evidence that the documents are false or that an official refused to answer. Truth in Focus will publish substantiated corrections and additional records as they become available. [1–5]
Sources and documents
[1] Northern Cheyenne Tribe, Federal Personnel FY 2025–2026 Activity Report, pay period 20 (September 7–19, 2026), photograph provided to Truth in Focus, original and signatures not independently authenticated.
[2] Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council, Request for Use of Personal Leave, listing September 8–11, 2026, photograph provided to Truth in Focus; original not independently authenticated.
[3] Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council, Request for Use of Personal Leave, listing November 16–18, 2026, photograph provided to Truth in Focus; original not independently authenticated.
[4] Northern Cheyenne Amended Constitution and Bylaws, Bylaws Article I, Sections 2–4; Article V, Sections 1–5; Article VII, Section 2; Constitution Article IX. Application to specific disputed proceedings requires consideration of later laws and court orders.
[5] Truth in Focus written request for records and comment to the Tribal Council and Tribal Secretary, sent October 9–10, 2026; no reply located in the newsroom inbox as of October 10 morning. A sent request does not establish delivery or receipt.
Editorial note: The source photographs have not been independently authenticated. This article makes no finding of fraud or wrongdoing, and it does not establish the legal validity of a Council action. Names of persons appearing in the records are used only as relevant to their public offices.
Related: Part One: Who Has the Power? · The 2023 open-meetings resolution.